Wednesday, December 1, 2010

All Board For Holiday Junction!

Sheila here.I took my three-year-old son Eric to the Cincinnati Museum Center with our friends Karen and Matthew. Holiday Junction is chugging along through the end of the year.

The Museum Center has dozens of toy trains in all shapes and sizes. The displays are elaborate with snow covered hills, tunnels, and tiny people. Eric was excited when he saw an airplane flying above one of the displays, and Matthew was so happy to see his friend, Thomas the Tank Engine. Boys and girls their size can climb inside a real train for a ride, and Eric had a great time ringing the bell. He and Matthew rode it again and again.

Inside a little nook with an antique toy display next to Santa's big chair, you can see a Cincinnati classic. Adults get a bit nostalgic when they see the cornerstone of that display, the old talking reindeer from Pogue's department store Downtown, Poguey and Patter. They don't talk anymore-- no room for the guy with the speaker, I guess-- but they still look pretty good. Once the volunteer near the Santa display told Eric they don't talk anymore, he was obsessed with them. He talked for the rest of the day about the reindeer, and he even asked Santa what was wrong with them. Santa was kind enough to carry Eric over and let him pet Poguey.

Eric and Matthew sat on Santa's knee and told them about their Christmas wishes. Matthew cracked us up when he told the jolly old elf that he wants Santa for Christmas! Eric told Santa he wants a drum set with pedals he can reach.

Holiday Junction is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit with your little ones, and you can find out more at the Museum Center's website: http://www.cincymuseum.org/